As is known, dogs are born for action. A lot of equipment is needed in the shared everyday life of man and dog, in their shared sports activities, or for the training and deployment of service dogs. Within this, the function of dog harnesses is to lead the dog on a leash, hold it back, lift it, assist it in traffic, to pull loads, or do sports involving dogs, by means of straps running across the chest, around the neck, under the belly and along the back of the dog, and connected to each other. Numerous solutions are known from practice, where the load is distributed on the neck and chest of the dog. One of these solutions is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,819, which discloses a collar having cords attached thereto which pass between the forelegs of the dog.
Another prior art reference, Utility model No. DE 203 04 940 U1, also discloses a collar connected to a belly strap by means of a connecting element. Other types of dog harnesses, such as chest harnesses, try to relieve the neck of the dog, and therefore the straps run further away from it, only across the chest, under the belly and along the back of the dog. One such harness is disclosed in DE 20219 554 U1, G 90 17 247.7 Deutschland, DE 203 04 940 U1. A horizontal (chest harness) chest strap allows the dog harness to be put on the dog in the simplest way, without pulling it over the legs. This type of dog harness is pulled over the head of the dog like a collar, and the ring suitable for connecting a leash is located on the withers (back) of the dog. Chest harnesses with a chest strap leave the neck of the dog completely free, not surrounded by belts. The two most important straps of a dog harness, the chest strap and the belly strap, are connected to each other behind the forelegs of the dog, on the trunk of the dog. The chest strap runs strictly at the height of the chest bone of the dog or slightly above it, well below the height of the throat, not choking the dog by any means. The belly strap can be a continuation of a back strap resting on the back of the dog, perpendicular to the spine, and it is this back strap to which a leash ring is attached.
The horizontally running chest strap and the back strap of dog harnesses are connected, most preferably on both sides, by a connecting element that is a curved element formed by a strap/leather belt or a saddle shaped blanketing part. The connecting element connects the chest strap and the back strap in a fixed manner. Such equipment is disclosed in UK 389,276. Generally speaking, the adjustability of the chest strap, running horizontally at the height of the chest bone of the dog, and presently made of a woven strap, was implemented only at the beginning of the 1990s. The openable horizontal chest straps and the additional devices attachable thereto appeared around the turn of the millennium.
The best chest harness comprises straps and a saddle part having an adjustable and openable chest strap, and was introduced into regular use first by the Austrian police forces. Later, it became used all over the world, and known as the K9-Powerharness, as disclosed in DE 302009060989. This was the first implementation of a chest strap openable by a hook-and-loop fastener that could be adjusted to the chest size of the dog, developed to rest flat on the chest of the dog in a continuous manner. This way, the distance of the connection point of the chest strap and the belly strap from the forelegs of the dog can be adjusted according to the build of the dog without the need to attach various buckles or slide adjusters to the chest strap. The resting surface of the chest strap is increased and its pressure distribution capability improved. The buckle of the belly strap could be placed at such a distance from the elbow of the dog that the dog would no longer be hurt or prevented from free movement or from making the maximum effort. It is important to note that the prior art before the K9-Powerharnesses included dog and horse harnesses made primarily of leather or narrow straps, equipped with many buckles and metal accessories that were very difficult to adjust, comprising disadvantageously narrow belts from the point of view of pressure distribution, and in some cases with extra padding on the chest strap part. The padding resulted in extra weight and limited adjustability.
A further advantage of the K9-Powerharnesses is that, at least on one side, the chest strap is connected to the belly strap in the line of the forelegs of the dog in such a way that it is interrupted by a fastener/loop adjuster threaded through it. The fastener/loop adjuster is suitable for threading wide, flat straps through it, that is, threading the chest strap through it and closing it on itself on the side towards the chest of the dog. The closing of the chest strap of the K9-Powerharness on itself on the side towards the chest of the dog means that, the more effort that is made by the dog to go forward, the more the components of the hook-and-loop fastener of the chest strap close on each other. Therefore, the chest strap can withstand hundreds of kg of load in a dimensionally stable manner. The closing of the chest strap would not require additional buckles that would increase the weight or push against the chest of the dog. This allows a horizontal chest strap design that is proportionally significantly wider and thus has a higher pressure distribution capacity, developed to rest flat on the chest of the dog in a continuous manner.
The buckles and slide adjusters ensuring the adjustability of the chest straps found in the prior art prevents the chest strap from resting flat on the chest of the dog. A problem remaining from the prior art to be solved was vertical connection to the belly strap between the two forelegs of the dog. The chest strap of the K9-Powerharness, openable along its whole length by a hook-and-loop fastener, allowed for the first time the attachment of additional devices to prevent the chest strap from sliding towards the neck of the dog, and to reduce the pressure load on the chest. These devices provide maximum comfort and safety for the dog generally through the releasable vertical connection of the chest strap and the belly strap. The K9-Powerharnesses, due to their extremely diverse applicability (service, assault and rescue dogs, therapy and guide dogs, ordinary dog owners), and the fact of their geographically widespread use, forms a completely separate category within the chest harnesses. Their gaining ground in the market transformed the dog equipment culture worldwide, and led to numerous patents related to this development.
In the prior art, the first pressure distribution element attachable to the chest strap of a chest harness in a releasable manner, connecting the chest strap and the belly strap, was the so called “Y” strap, presented in the following document: (http:web.archive.org/web/20031010141013/www.hundesportartikel.at/military/geschirre.html<http://www.hundesportartikel.at/military/geschirre.html>)
For the attachment of the “Y” strap, the chest strap needs to be fully openable, as the “Y” strap is attached by pulling it on. One example of this type of dog harness is shown in another reference, No. DE3020090609896. The chest strap of the chest harness closes on itself by a hook-and-loop fastener in a releasable manner. Two loop portions formed on the stalk portion of the “Y” pressure distributor, as chest strap connecting portions, allow the attachment of the “Y” pressure distributor to the chest strap by pulling it on. After attaching it to the chest strap by pulling it on, the “Y” strap is connected to the chest strap by the two loop portions. The components of the hook-and-loop fastener of the chest strap close on each other on the surfaces not covered by the loop portions, and fix the length of the chest strap.
A disadvantage of this device is that both loop portions of the “Y” strap can be damaged by the hook-and-loop fastener of the chest strap when they are pulled on the chest strap, and can be subjected to continuous, increased stress during normal use. There is no adhesion between the chest strap and the loop portions along the full width of the two loop portions, and therefore, they can be displaced horizontally. Furthermore, the horizontal displacement of the “Y” strap is incidental, as there is no other fixing element on the loop portions either. This device, attempting to relieve the chest of the dog, does not directly allow or facilitate the training of dogs on a leash. There is no advantageous location on the “Y” strap for the attachment of a ring suitable for connecting a leash, as the loop portions can be displaced during use, and their surface can be damaged by the hook-and-loop fastener of the chest strap.
This dog harness model has expanded far beyond its original scope of application, which was the field of working and service dogs. A result of its widespread use among civilian or amateur dog owners therefore is that, due to its excellent pressure distribution, for dogs wearing this harness and feeling stronger, pulling on the leash is a positive experience. The training problem of dogs wearing the harness has become a global training task. Their pulling power has been increased by the use of various additional pressure distribution devices attachable to the chest strap which have a beneficial effect on the joints and make even the forces acting in a car accident tolerable for the dog, if it is secured properly in the car.
Thus, it is understandable that, in the case of a chest harness, holding back aggressive, fearful, scared dogs, for example in street traffic, or controlling them on a leash in any stress situation, causes a problem for many dog owners.
It is also recognized that any equipment or dog harness that pulls the head of the dog by means of belts and a leash ring attached to it (the development called HALTI), or the neck of the dog by means of belts forming a harness, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,608 B1, when controlled on a leash, can pose a threat to the vertebrae in the neck of the dog. There is no doubt, however, that the aim of the latter US patent was a dog “restraining” device, including a ring attached to the chest strap suitable for connecting a leash. This device comprises a saddle part and straps attached thereto, as shown in the figures, puts a load on the neck of the dog through the ring attached to the upper chest strap. Furthermore, to facilitate dog training, the leash ring can move completely freely on the upper chest strap (neck portion), and the movement of the leash ring is limited only by the connecting elements. The leash ring is not padded on the side towards the neck of the dog.
During training with this device, the neck of the dog and the whole throat area comes into direct contact with the moving ring. All of the listed properties are not only disadvantageous from the point of view of training, but also detrimental for the dog. A further disadvantage of the device is that, when the ring attached to the chest strap is pulled by a leash indispensable for training, the chest strap is pulled up to the neck of the dog, as the chest strap and the belly strap are not connected to each other vertically between the two forelegs of the dog. The chest strap of this prior art dog harness, unlike that of the K9-Powerharnesses, is not adjustable by a hook-and-loop fastener and not openable at all, and therefore, does not provide a solution for the most common chest harness problems. Furthermore, the ring attached to the upper chest strap is not removable. During everyday use, it poses a risk of getting caught up or stuck. Therefore, this prior art dog harness is not suitable for everyday use.
A ring attached to the horizontal chest strap at its center, interrupting the continuity thereof, is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,886,699 and 8,869,750. These US patents disclose training apparatuses where rings facilitating the leading of the dog on a leash are attached in an unreleasable manner to the chest strap and at the connection points of the chest strap, the belly strap and the back strap. One ring is attached at the center of the chest strap, with the chest strap threaded through it from both directions and fixed by sewing. A slide adjuster suitable for adjusting the length of the chest strap section is fixed to the chest strap on both sides. On this prior art dog harness, each ring suitable for connecting a leash interrupts the continuity of the straps, having a connecting, load-bearing role between the straps.
The forces acting during leading on a leash in this prior art harness, unlike in the case of the K9-Powerharnesses, act directly on the chest strap of the given dog harness and on the chest strap ring attached thereto. The greater the force, the and momentum of the dog, the higher the load on the chest strap ring.
A disadvantage of such prior art harnesses is that, by such higher load, the rings subject a constant load on the dog, irrespective of whether the leash is connected to the given ring or not.
A further disadvantage of such prior art harnesses is that the rings attached to the chest strap and on the side of the dog harness are not padded on the side towards the dog. The leash connector connected to the ring, and the ring itself, come into direct contact with the body of the dog, and therefore, the dog is subjected to constant friction. The rings are not flattened to make constant contact with the body of the dog impossible. Furthermore, the chest strap is not connected vertically to the belly strap. Accordingly, during work, the chest strap is detrimentally pulled up to the neck of the dog by the leash connected to the chest strap. By threading the chest strap through the slide adjusters, loops are created that prevent it from preferably resting flat on the chest of the dog, whereby the pressure distribution capacity of the chest strap of the dog harness is reduced. A disadvantage in such prior art devices is that the dog harness does not have a ring suitable for connecting a leash on the back strap. Another disadvantage is that, by threading the chest strap through the ring, the diameter of the ring limits the width of the chest strap.
A further disadvantage of such prior art harnesses is that the chest strap sections attached to the ring from both sides limit the connectability of the leash. The chest strap is not operable. The rings attached to the sides and to the chest strap in these prior art devices, originally to facilitate training, are not removable from the dog harness. The ring attached to the chest strap this way poses a risk of getting stuck, or the risk of a human hand getting caught up. Therefore, this prior art dog harness is not suitable for everyday use.
The developments in the prior art do not provide teaching for chest harnesses with a chest strap operable by a hook-and-loop fastener. The pressure distribution element that is taught by DE202010016578 shows a solution where the loop portion attached to the chest strap of the K9-Powerharness is openable, so there is no need to fully pull the chest strap out from the fastener-slide adjuster. One of the aims set, however, the releasable connection of the chest strap to the belly strap between the two forelegs of the dog, is achieved. The device is padded. The padding portion extends beyond the chest strap towards the throat area, and in the direction of the belly strap, looped around it. The padding is looped around the belly strap by a hook-and-loop fastener stalk portion, and closed on the padding portion from the outside. A disadvantage of this prior art device is that there is no appropriate place for a ring suitable for connecting a leash. The hook-and-loop fastener connecting element attachable to the chest strap closes on only one section of the chest strap, and it does not have a portion extending in the horizontal direction to increase its adhesion surface and thus its load-bearing capacity.
Furthermore, this prior art device is not suitable for fixing a leash ring securely on the hook-and-loop fastener stalk portion, because the hook-and-loop fastener opens at even lower forces. The device is not suitable for fixing a leash ring on the padding portion either, as its use would be hindered by the stalk portion.
In the case of dog harnesses with an openable chest strap, there is no known solution in the prior art that allows the attachment of a pressure distribution element combined with a leash ring secured to the chest strap thereof in a releasable manner, where the ring is secured against displacement both horizontally and vertically, and where the ring and/or the leash carabiner are padded, and covered on the side towards the chest of the dog.
Furthermore, the prior art does not include an element containing a ring attachable to a chest strap that can be attached anywhere horizontally along almost the whole width of the hook-and-loop fasteners of the chest strap at the height of the chest bone of the dog. The prior art does not include a device comprising a chest strap connecting portion having a high load-bearing capacity and extending in the lateral direction compared to the vertical connecting element.
The connection of the chest strap of chest harnesses with an openable chest strap to the belly strap, in such a way that the connecting element is connected to both the chest strap loop section and the chest strap hook section by a hook-and-loop fastener, is not solved in the prior art. The task to be solved is to provide a secure connection with high load bearing capacity between the chest strap and the belly strap. The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above shortcomings in the prior art.